Seasons: Knife's Edge
by LadyZelthePen
Summary: News of a mysterious Jedi living on the edge of the Outer Rim trickles through sources to the ears of Han and Leia Solo. Neither willing to give up a golden chance of a lifetime, they embark to the far out shores of Glee Anselm, only to be dragged into a conflict greater than themselves. (Title and Summary subject to change)
1. Chapter 1

I really wasn't planning on posting this story just yet, but... Well, there's no time like the present, right? :) It's been going along so well and its been a while since I've published something for real, so I figured I might as well. This is my second foray into the original trilogy and the EU, with my own creative little twist thrown in for good measure. I will warn you beforehand: This particular story is AU. Most of what I'm focusing on is speculation, and the rest is creative license.

So, without further ado, I give you Seasons: Knife's Edge

* * *

**Chapter One**

In all honesty, it had started out as a normal day. Leia recalled just hours earlier the way she'd massaged her temples against the threat of an oncoming headache, and then her husband's voice was behind her and his hands were doing the massaging…. Now, she felt like she was in a completely different day, maybe a completely different body, if that made any sense. She sighed heavily and looked away from the cup of caf in front of her, disgusted. The room was mostly quiet, if it could even be called a room. The Millennium Falcon did not boast many rooms- besides the captain's quarters, which were put to good use. She smiled a little, thinking about what Han would no doubt want to do in that room later. Even so, the day had taken a direct one-eighty turn, and her head was still spinning from the motion.

"I think there's another Jedi out there," Han had announced suddenly, disrupting the all-too peaceful silence that had taken over her office that morning. She'd found a lull between all the paperwork awaiting her signature, and had taken advantage of the mini-break with a two minute head massage. Han hadn't helped much after that, and by the time Leia had actually found a spare second to glance at her wrist chrono, a whole half hour had passed.

She'd raised one brow at him, an action she had learned from her father and perfect in the years before she was elected to the Imperial Senate- it had helped push her point across to disgruntled committees many times before, but it never did seem to work on her thick-headed husband. Han had a knack for that, taking her best withering looks and turning a well-practice smolder that would make a lesser woman swoon. Not that Leia could deny the weak feeling in her knees whenever he did that…

But this time, he'd been completely serious. His mouth was set in a firm line, and there was a hard glint in his eyes she had learned to translate as determination. There were precious few times Leia actually found herself speechless; she could count on one hand the few times there had been no words to follow up another sentient's phrasing, and most of them had been incurred by Han himself.

"Oh," she finally managed, staring at him somewhere between dumbfounded and amused. The two emotions blurred together, and she shook her head as if it could help distinguish one from the other. "And what makes you think that?"

Han crossed to the other side of her desk, placing one hand on the chair opposite her so it swiveled in a lazy circle. "I heard a rumor- a thread of a rumor, really- about a man living on the far reaches of the Outer Rim. I'm not saying I fully believe it, sweetheart, but it looks like this guy saved a couple of villages from a monsoon with his bare hands."

"A monsoon?" Her brow rose again, and Han winced slightly. Leia folded her arms on the desktop and leaned forward. "That seems a little far-fetched, don't you think?"

"Maybe," Han counted, turning the chair again and sitting down. "But you've seen what Luke can do. I don't see a reason why this can't be legitimate."

She nodded slowly, looking out at the cityscape just beyond her office windows. Thinking back on what she'd seen her brother do… It all did border on the supernatural. Leia re-met her husband's gaze. "Suppose this is true- which I'm not saying it is- and there is another Jedi out there? What do you want to do about it?"

"Luke would want us to look into it, I'm thinking."

"But you didn't tell him, did you?" Her brow lifted again, and Han smirked.

"Naw; there's no sense in worrying Luke over a wild-goose chase. I'm thinking we can head to Glee Anselm and be back within two weeks. It'd be like a mini-vacation for you and me."

"I suppose…" A vacation did sound nice; with all the treaties needing signed and meetings to attend, Leia had trouble remembering just the last time she had spent a day- even an hour- all to herself. "A wild goose-chase, huh? This isn't the first time some rumor has cropped up about a possible Jedi out there. What makes you think this is the real deal?"

Han nodded slowly. "This one doesn't have all the glitz those other stories. A guy stopped a monsoon with his bare hands, end of story. There's nothing spectacular about it, and no one got a good look at it. Whoever he is, if he exists, he doesn't want to be found."

"But you'll find him?" She smiled and his eyes lit up, her heart fluttering in reply. And then, before she had fully registered anything, Han was already making preparations. Or, he had already made preparations. All that was left was for Leia herself to pack a small traveling case of necessities for the trip, and they'd set off. All of it had been a complete whirlwind, which is where she found herself shaking off the last strain of a possible headache in the center cabin overlooking the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.

Han and Chewie were oddly silent, although Chewie growled occasionally in soft tones and Han would reply with a low mutter or curse. Leia smiled in spite of herself; since marrying the rogue three years earlier, Han had calmed down considerably with his flying habits. Sure, he enjoyed taking his ship out for a good ride once in a while, but she thought home life suited him more than he openly admitted. Glancing down at her still flat stomach, she hoped he would permanently settle down with her once and for all.

"We're still three days out, Leia," Han said, glancing over his shoulder at her. In the dim light of the cockpit, he looked worn and old. She frowned a little- they hadn't aged that much, had they? Although, he was a good five years older than she; and the war hadn't stopped with the Emperor's death. There were still many Imperial supporters out there, and even though Lando had a full armada at his disposal, the clean-up still took a toll on all of them.

"That's good to hear." She dumped the remains of the caf down the disposal chute- Han would call that a waste, but she wasn't in the mood for a stimulant now. "Wonder if Luke is holding up okay?"

"Luke will be fine." If there was one person Leia knew she never had to worry about, it was her older brother. She smiled a little, thinking of when she'd first met the green-behind-the-ears farm boy. He'd come a long way since then, and she couldn't be prouder. It didn't matter that she was the younger of them- in a way, she'd always felt responsible for her brother, and even later for Han too. Maybe it came with being a woman.

Walking over into the cockpit, making certain to step down through the doorway- she couldn't begin to count the many times she had tripped over that doorway- Leia placed her hands on her husband's shoulders and rubbed. "Relax; you're too tense. This is a vacation, remember?"

"As far as everyone else knows, it is." He grinned up at her, though it lacked his usual suave look. Beside him, Chewie growled softly, and Han looked briefly annoyed. "Alright, fine, we'll leave you be. Let me know if anything gets weird."

Chewie nodded his head but remained silent. Han flipped one more switch and then stood up, and Leia let her hands drop away. Just as quickly, Han caught her left wrist and pulled her close. Brushing a light kiss to her temple, he motioned for her to go ahead of him, and they left the cockpit.

"You still think this is a foolhardy trip?" Han asked as they walked into the small captain's quarters, the door swishing shut behind them. He fumbled with his belt for a moment and then tossed it aside.

Leia turned with a smile, slowly undoing the buttons on her blouse. "Not a chance, if it means I can spend some one-on-one time with you."

Han's smile was gentle as he folded her in his arms. Leia closed her eyes contentedly, feeling the deep rhythmic beating of his heart. She hummed once, and his hold tightened around her. "Yeah, this is nice. Remind me to come up with these vacations more often."

Leia tipped her head back to look back at him; before she could reply, Han captured her lips in a kiss. After several breathless moments, he pulled back and brushed away a lock of her hair. "What say you and I take this elsewhere?" He waggled his brows comically, and she laughed.

"Alright then, my nerf-herder…." She tugged on his vest toward the bed, her legs bumping against the side of the bunk.

Han shook his head with a smile. "Never thought I'd hear that title again, sweetheart."

And that was the last words either spoke for several hours.

* * *

Landing on Glee Anselm was beyond difficult, and even from the far side of the Falcon, Leia heard the more colorful side of her husband come out. She grimaced at a particularly nasty curse directed at the silent transmitter, already knowing Han had hung up with the air traffic officer. Chewie growled more than once in an attempt to pacify the Correllian, but Han wasn't finished.

"What right do they have to conduct a search before we land?" What followed was something too rapid even for Leia's trained ears, and she was especially sure she never wanted to have a direct translation. Glad C3PO had stayed behind for this trip, she started to the cockpit.

"Well, the Falcon is a registered smuggler ship as of three years ago," she countered. "How long will this take?"

"Too long," he muttered. Han angrily flipped the switches to cut off the main power system, relying on the emergency reserve to hold them in place while the second ship connected. A dull thunk resonated within the Falcon, and Leia winced slightly at the sound. Han continued his muttered curses, but thankfully not as loud so the men soon to board wouldn't hear.

It was all part of the new security system Leia had a hand in setting up immediately following the fall of the Empire. Most planets surrounding the Core already had a perfected security check for travelers either before or immediately following their landing on the planet. It had taken a few months, but the practice caught on with the rest of the planets swearing allegiance to the newly found Republic. It seemed some of the Outer Rim planets had adopted the practice as well.

Three came in all, and even though Leia knew Han would have preferred his favorite blaster on his hip, he'd met them unarmed. Their search only took minutes, as all three Nautolans were efficient. She was amazed at their size and the speed with which they conducted their work; at last, one nodded toward Han and the three exited as quietly as they'd come.

"Well, that was pleasant," she said, though a heavy silence met her words. Snapping her mouth shut, Leia turned back toward the captain's quarters to gather what few things they were taking ashore.

The remainder of the landing only took a few more minutes, and by the time the Falcon's repulsors died down, Han's mood had calmed considerably.

"Stay with the ship, Chewie. Leia and I are going down to find some accommodations, and then we'll be back." Han swung the leather bag over his shoulder and nodded to Leia. "Let's go."

Walking down the ramp, Leia stared out open-mouthed at nothing but water. The blue and green liquid stretched out as far as she could see, though she caught sight of several vehicles traveling quickly over the expanse. At Han's touch on her arm, she turned quickly and breathed out a small sigh of relief at the more welcome sight of land- or what appeared to be land.

The section she could see appeared to be a public landing strip, although it seemed not many off-worlders came to the backwater planet. The few ships gracing the strip with their presence were dingy at best; the men and women attending them looked as if they belonged more in the water than the open air. Among the multitude of Nautolans crowding the strip (not that there were many people out to begin with, Leia noted, as she fanned herself against the heat), she spotted the more colorful hues of Twi'leks, and the occasional pale and weary face of a humanoid. No one seemed particularly interested in either of them as they walked over to the closest group of Nautolans, though Leia shifted uncomfortably at the lewd gestures the bare-chested men gave her as they passed.

"Just ignore them, sweetheart," Han whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His other hand, she knew, would be resting on his blaster that he always kept in easy reach.

Passing by the group of men, Han quickly approached a lone Nautolan man who was leaning up against a stack of crates. He looked much the same as the others; bare-chested and large muscles that testified to years of work in the oceans of Glee Anselm. His skin color was a sharper green than the men behind them, and though he sported some of the traditional painting their kind was fond of, Leia noticed the scars covering his arms and back.

"Hey, excuse me," Han said, stepping right up to the man. The Nautolan looked up sharply, eyeing him as if the smuggler were somehow below his notice. "You know how we can get a ride to a hotel? My wife and I are newly arrived and-"

The man stood abruptly, easily towering over Han. Words died in Han's throat, and even Leia found herself scrambling for something to say.

"Whatever it is you are here for, you will not easily find it," the stranger said, his baritone voice sending shivers done Leia's spine. "You've come at a bad time; the harvest season is upon us, and we are not very welcoming to outsiders."

Han blinked once, twice, and then cleared his throat. "That's great and all, buddy, but I just wanted to know the way to the closest hotel. My wife is worn out from our trip, you know?"

The Nautolan's gaze flicked over Leia quickly, and she shifted. There was nothing uncomfortable about his gaze, but she shivered all the same. Something like raw power was held within, and perhaps other things akin to sorrow and regret. She shook off the old feeling, suddenly wishing Luke were here too. The man quickly rattled off an address, and though she was certain her husband had caught the exact wording, she cast an annoyed expression in the stranger's direction. He smiled a little, and Han offered a vague farewell.

They didn't look back, even when the man's gentle chuckle followed them.

* * *

The hotel was nice, Leia had to admit. It wasn't as luxurious as the ones she could have found in the Core, or even the Mid Rim, but Han did have a penchant for picking some odd places to stay. She smiled a little, thinking of their honeymoon trip and the…interesting experience they had enjoyed. Looking around at the plain walls, which she realized were actually painted a very pale blue, Leia decided she liked it. The room must have been decorated in traditional style of Glee Anselm, as all the furniture was very low to the ground. The bed was nothing more than a mattress situated in a cut-out hole in the floor, and the table was so low chairs would not have been able to fit. In their place, padded cushions were arranged neatly, and Leia thought it looked rather quaint.

"Well, isn't this nice?" Han grinned and turned to face her, arms spread out. "And, the best part is we've a whole week free of Chewie!"

Leia smiled just as wide. It wasn't that either of them had a problem with the wookie, but she was overly relieved when Chewbacca had volunteered to stay with the Falcon in the case any of the locals got too curious. Han had rented this room for a week, and it would be nice to have him all for herself.

"I've arranged a meeting with my contact for tomorrow morning, so that gives us some time to settle in." He waggled his brows at her, and Leia laughed. She honestly didn't know the last time she'd ever felt so relaxed.

"You know, I'm really glad we did this." She smiled, and Han's expression took on a gentler turn. He crossed the room and placed his hands on her waist. Leia lifted her arms to lean on his shoulders, and Han led them in a slow dance to music neither could hear.

"This makes me think of Tarcotla," he murmured in her ear. She shivered again, thinking back to that portion of their honeymoon.

"Hm, that was interesting, wasn't it?" Leia smiled into his shoulder. "We had a good time."

Han grinned. "And we'll have a better time here, right?"

She tipped her head back to look up at him. "Han… I guess now's as good a time as any to tell you something. I have big news."

His happy look faded, replaced by something serious. Nevertheless, Leia plowed on.

"I'm pregnant."


	2. Chapter 2

So, here it is! Chapter 2, which has turned out incredibly amazing, if I do say so myself. :) Thanks so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows, everyone. I really appreciate the response this has gotten. :D

There is one section in this chapter which (quietly) alludes to an old fic of mine, Death of a Hero, particularly in the name Fess Ilee. And yes, I am shamelessly advertising it...go check it out! :)

Oh... I forgot this in the last chapter. I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters mentioned herein (except maybe a few; I'll let y'all know). All of this now belongs to Disney.

Alrighty, on to the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Two**

"So, let me get this straight," the hologram of Luke said, one hand reaching up to rub his temples. "You and Han decided to leave in the middle of a very important business venture just so you could get some alone time? Leia, what were you thinking?"

Leia suppressed a sigh and glanced up at Han over by the 'fresher door. He paused, towel slung over his bare shoulders, and gave her the best 'What-I'm-not-doing-anything' look. She shook her head at him, and he turned away sheepishly.

"Honestly, Luke, it's not really killing anything for us to drop out for a little break."

"Two weeks isn't exactly a little break, Leia."

"Gosh, Luke, since when did you become the overbearing older brother?" Leia felt the twinge of a headache coming on, her second one that week. She bit back a groan. "I'm allowed to take some time off to spend with my husband. Besides, I did leave a note of absence."

Luke frowned. "Leia…"

She slammed a hand down on the table, making both men jump. "Luke, for crying out loud, I'm pregnant, okay? Now, would you please be the doting big brother I need, and not my jailer? I am allowed to leave!" Taking a deep breath through her nose, Leia shook her head. "I'm sorry… I'm just not feeling much like myself today."

If anything, she thought it had to be the strange atmosphere of the oceanic planet. The air was salty to taste, and the buzz of humidity was starting to annoy. Overall, she was looking forward to returning to the mild-weathered Core.

"It's alright, Leia… I just wish you'd left me some sort of notice. Why in the world did you pick Glee Anselm anyway?"

"Han picked it, actually. It's a really remote spot, not many tourists make it out this far. Guess the water thing keeps them away." She tried for a laugh, but the small sound fell flat. "Didn't you have some leadership committee to attend out here?"

"Oh, that." Luke rubbed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but I had to cancel it last-minute for some other important things…"

Leia nodded. "Uh-huh, sure." She smiled, glad the strain was over with. "Anyway, Han and I have some sight-seeing to do… apparently the locals don't mind tourists so much, and there's a neat tour of one of the underwater cities scheduled this afternoon."

"Well, you two have fun. You both deserve a break, you really do." Luke smiled and lifted a hand. "I'll be in touch, okay?"

"You do that." With a nod, Leia switched over the holo and looked up at her husband. "What?"

Han grinned, yanking the towel off his shoulders with a wet smack. "Nothing; you about ready?"

"Yeah." She sighed a little, standing up.

"Hey, we still have a few minutes." He took hold of Leia's shoulders and kissed her forehead. "How 'bout you get changed- no rush- and we'll grab something to eat before we meet with him."

"Alright, sounds good." Leia smiled in return and hurried to ready herself for the coming meeting.

* * *

Meeting with Han's informant- Leia still preferred to think of the thin man as a friend, but she knew her husband was picky about who he really called friend (the situation with Lando had proven that)- had gone over well enough. The man introduced himself as Slater, and he was as stick thin as a cigarette. His sandy hair was receding on his head, and though he looked young, he had a habit of walking with a shuffling gait like an older man. Slater had said very few words throughout the few minutes they had met with him, but both Han and Leia had gathered quite a bit more about the rumored Jedi.

"Disappeared," Slater had said, and sat back at the table with a satisfied look. The watery looking bar they'd chosen to meet in was hushed with the lack of other patrons, and there were very few curious stares in their direction.

Han frowned. "What do you mean, 'disappeared'? I thought-"

"No, no, no! Listen, my friend… I'm the only one who has seen this man, and he's gone. Melted back into his people, like he was never there."

"So, you're saying you lost him?" Han glowered at the man, and Slater shrank back a little. "If you saw him again, would you recognize him?"

"Well…" The man's face grew paler in the dim lighting. "I don't know, exactly. When I saw him, he was not covered in the paint, you see? And they all look the same as it is." He finished off with a shaky laugh.

"Bet they think the same about us," Han muttered, casting a glance at his wife.

Leia placed a hand on his arm. This was something out of their control, and it would be better if Han kept his temper to himself. Changing the subject, she asked, "Why are they all painted, Slater?"

Slater leaned across the table, his eyes flashing with undisguised interest. "It's the Anselmi, princess; they're on the march again, trying to take back their lands."

"The Anselmi? But I thought the Nautolans were the only inhabitants of Glee Anselm."

"Of the waters, yes. The Anselmi are land-dwellers, but you won't see them here. They live farther south, but their numbers are strong. It won't be long before something blows, and the Nautolans know it. They're better off prepared for anything. So far the Anselmi have targeted the low farms on the marshlands."

Han stood up, still frowning. "Well, this is just great. We came all this way for nothing, and now there's a war brewing. Leia, we're going home."

She twisted in the chair as he moved away. "Han, no; this is a vacation, and I am not packing up now when we haven't even seen anything of the planet. Threat of war or not, I am not leaving. We've been in tighter spots than this."

"Leia, honey…" Han crouched next to her so they were at eye-level. His gaze shifted to her stomach for the briefest of moments, and it was all that needed saying.

"Good grief, Han, I'm pregnant, not carrying dangerous explosives. Nothing is going to happen; Slater said himself we are in a relatively safe place, and I intend to enjoy what's left of this vacation with you regardless of gun-toting maniacs."

Across the table, Leia was aware of Slater leaning back and smirking at them. She thought she heard him mutter, "Crazy married folks," too, but she was willing to let that one go. Still staring at her husband, she smiled gently.

"The least we can do is to stay a few more days. There's a chance we might yet find our mystery Jedi, and if not…we have plenty of relaxing to catch up on."

The look in his eyes changed then, and Leia knew she had won. Patting Han's shoulder, she turned back to Slater. "So, Slater… Tell me about Nautolan culture."

* * *

"I can't believe you did that, Leia." Han dropped his jacket on the edge of the low table in their hotel room and folded his arms, putting on his best "I'm-completely-put-out" face.

She crossed the room to the fresher and flicked the light on, fingers already working to undo the complicated mess her hair had become since she'd reached womanhood. "Did what exactly, honey?"

"Oh no, don't play that game with me, sweetheart." In three steps, Han was by her side. One arm wrapped around her waist and the other gently grasped her wrist, stopping her motion of pulling out hairpins. Leia, realizing she had nowhere else to go, slowly looked up at her husband. "I'm talking about this whole trip."

"I think you need to relax a bit; maybe Coruscant is getting to you. You said you wanted a vacation, and we're here now." She leaned her head back against his chest, studying his reflection in the mirror. Han hummed pleasantly in her ear, and she smiled. "It's only for a couple days; the least we can do is enjoy it. Besides, Luke isn't expecting us for a while."

"I guess you're right… Still, it would be nice if I couldn't be shown up in public by my wife."

"Afraid of a strong woman?" she teased.

A look of hurt crossed his face, the humor in his eyes belying its sincerity. "I would never! It's just I'd like to appear as the strong type once in a while."

She grinned. "I'll keep that in mind next time." Leia rested her hand on his arm, and Han readjusted his hold on her for more comfort. "Han?"

"Yeah, princess?"

Shaking her head, she plowed on. "Do you think we'll find this Jedi?"

He let his arms drop, and Leia tried not to shiver. "I don't know. This whole war business changes everything, and I don't like it. I'm okay with staying like we planned, but at the first sign of trouble, we're out." Turning, he re-entered the main room of their suite, and Leia followed, working out the rest of her hairpins. "Maybe this was a crazy idea; maybe he's not even real."

"I believe he's real." At his unreadable look, Leia continued. "Luke's been trying to help me with my… abilities, and I can feel it in here." She tapped the place over her heart. "I'm not big into all of that Force stuff, but I do know when something feels right or wrong. He's real."

In a swift movement, Han caught her up in his arms and lifted off the floor. Leia squealed once, and then settled happily in her husband's arms.

"I love you, nerf-herder," she whispered.

"And I love you, your worship."

Resting her head on his shoulder, Leia closed her eyes and breathed in contentedly. They stood like that for several moments, and then Han spoke.

"Hey Leia, you're not worried about the baby, are you?" He spoke slowly, as if tasting each word before shoving it into the open. "I mean… What if something goes wrong?"

She wriggled enough for Han to release her legs; standing again, Leia placed her hands on both his shoulders and stared at him straight-on. "Han, whatever's got you worried right now is nonsense. You're going to be a great father, no matter what kind of childhood you had."

"Yeah, but…" He trailed off and looked away. It was sometimes too easy for her to read him; they'd been picking up on each other's body language for years now.

"Han, look at me." He re-met her gaze with the slightest of frowns, and Leia stared back just as solemnly.

"You're a good man, and you'll be an amazing father. And, if you ever need any help, I recall plenty of my own father's life lessons." She smiled and the pang in her chest was not as sharp as it once had been. Speaking about Bail Organa was getting easier with each time, though sometimes Leia feared she would say his name and cease feeling anything toward the memory of the man she'd known as family.

She shook her head to clear those thoughts, and Han noticed her pensive look.

"Thinking of dad?" he asked, and held her a little closer.

Resting her cheek against his chest, Leia closed her eyes. "You think we'll be good parents?"

"Hey, you just spilled at me about how I'll be the best dad ever." Han rubbed circles on her back, and she made a sound of contentment. "We're going to be great, darling."

* * *

"No, Threepio… I really do want the whole file." Han lifted his arm and ran his fingers through his hair, and Leia bit back a smile. Having enjoyed the sight of her husband overly annoyed with Glee Anselm traffic, it was nicer to see him frustrated with something a little bit normal. "Yes! Thank you."

He clicked off the private comm and pulled out the earpiece, tossing it on the table. "You'd think the idiot would realize my sarcasm is not an official dialect of smugglers everywhere." Han sat down and folded his arms, pulling off an almost-pout.

"Well, you did teach him the meaning of double-words very quickly," Leia reminded him. She set aside her empty caf-mug. Before she could say anything more, a soft ping alerted the couple to the arrival of the requested package.

Han opened the file on the data-screen he'd brought along, and Leia vacated her seat only to take up residence in her husband's lap. Wrapping his arms around her, she leaned back while he opened up the bank of intel.

"Luke did a good job decoding all those old holo-crons," Han commented while the screen loaded. "Guess even the Emperor wasn't smart enough, huh?"

Leia smiled. "Fess did his job well; no one could get into those files unless he had the key."

Han clicked open the first page in the file and whistled. "Wow… Nine hundred pages. This'll be fun." He grinned, scrolling through the first few pages, nothing more than preliminary intel. "You know, I always thought the old Jedi were a little bit batty, but they sure know how to write up a good old-fashioned information-dump."

She snorted, knowing full-well Han's grin had just widened. Locating the drop-down menu, Han clicked through some of the newer entries before settling on some old battle-debriefings.

"Han, wait." Leia gripped his arm. She pointed toward a smaller icon on the right. "What's that?"

"Only one way to find out, princess."

The words on the page took on the form of a handwritten script, crisp and flawless, looking for the world like everything else Leia had imagined about the Jedi before. But the words themselves were different; worn and defeated sounding, and a moment later Leia realized what they were looking at.

"Han, you did ask Threepio for everything related to Glee Anselm, didn't you?" She looked up at him, and his face took a confused turn.

"Yeah, why?"

"I think this is our mysterious Jedi's personal journal."

* * *

_The battle on Glee Anselm has only deepend, and I feel compelled to request reinforcements. Or pull out completely. I do feel for my people and their suffering, but there does come a time when a balance has been met on both sides of the equation. My people suffer, my men suffer… This whole business is tiring. I thankfully have a friend in CC-76-5593, who has yet to find a name. In my mind, I call him Valor. I have met many clones in this time, but I do not think I have met one with so little disregard for his personal health and safety. He is quite an enigma, one I enjoy puzzling over. Twice he has stood between me and Death, and I am certain he will willingly do so again. In turn, I do what I can to ensure he and his close brothers walk away from a battle one more time._

_The cannons have become quiet now; it is so strange after so long a cacophony. I do not think this bodes well for either side. Valor has taken command briefly, long enough for me to rest. I have only been gone for an hour… Master Yoda would no doubt chide me on my restlessness, but how can I even think about anything else except what must be done next? There are too many lives at stake here, and we cannot afford to give up this world. Dooku would gladly hand it over to us, once he has seen it become bloodied and broken in our name. _

_I know it is wrong, but I hate the man with everything I am. I will focus on those negative thoughts later and release them, but for now they give me focus so sharp, I feel as if I can do anything. _

_Force help me. _

* * *

It hadn't taken long for Han to get bored with the general style of entries; Leia was better at perusing such things, so she vacated her husband's lap in favor of the couch, taking a smaller data-screen with her to continue reading. After several minutes of silence, Leia sat up a little straighter.

"Han, I want a hard copy of this."

He turned to look at her. "A what?"

"A hard copy," she repeated, laying the screen down on the low sofa next to her. "I want a flimsy copy, something I can make notes on by hand." Call it whatever he wanted, Bail had taught her the importance of an extra copy of something that was mostly indestructible and untraceable. She could see Han was ready to give her a good few reasons why she shouldn't do that, but she held her ground. "I'll be able to find anything important that can lead us to his current location, without the hassle of any further downloads. You know this would be good."

Han sighed. "Alright, whatever you want." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a slim metal case, dropping out several credits. "That should cover the expense; I'm sure this place has a service like that somewhere."

Leia grinned, standing and taking the money from his hand. Kissing him on the cheek, she grabbed her light coat and opened the door. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Han waved in reply, and the door swished shut behind her. The walk to the lift was short, and Leia kept a tight hand on the credits in her coat pocket. The data-screen in her other hand, she resisted the urge to scroll through any of the other entries pertaining to Glee Anselm. The total pages were close to twenty-eight, but she'd opened up the entire journal, somewhat surprised the man had penned the equivalent of a book in so short a time. If she had time later, she planned to read through the rest of it in the hopes of learning more about their mysterious Jedi.

The hotel did have a particular service specifically for what Leia wanted, and in a few moments she was watching an antique droid turn the data-screen's pages into a flimsy copy. Every twenty pages or so, Leia would insert a new credit chip and the droid would continue. She gathered up the freshly printed copy in perfect order, arranging the thin pages neatly in a stack.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and Leia turned. Through the large glass windows showcasing the front of the hotel, she spotted a familiar figure. The red war paint was unmistakable, as was the intense stare of his dark eyes. He didn't move, but she knew he was aware she was watching him in turn. The large Nautolan lifted a hand in greeting, and then something else caught his attention just outside Leia's view.

A second later, the great windows in the hotel blasted to tiny fragments, and Leia hit the floor, covering her head and wondering just what in the galaxy had happened.


	3. Chapter 3

Wow, it's been a while! Life has been kind of crazy lately, and I've had most of this chapter done for quite some time. Honestly, the ending had me a little stuck.

Anyhow, anything that shows up in italics is from Kit's journal from now on.

I'm still not sure where this is going, but it's been super fun to write! Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The first thing she notices is someone is holding her. She shifts a little with a moan, and the arms around her loosen. Her eyes feel glued shut, but she is positively certain whoever is holding her is not her husband. For starts, Han would have been far gentler with her; even when he was crazily stressed, he would always be gentle when around her. The news of the baby now had him being even more careful.

Second, he smelled all wrong. She thought she wrinkled her nose, but when she couldn't even get her eyes to open properly, it was hard to tell. Han had this habit of smelling like engine grease and laundry detergent (the skin-sensitive kind, naturally), and that deep underlying scent of trees and happiness. This man (yes, she was fairly certain by now it was a man, considering the bare skin pressed against her cheek) smelled like salt and paint.

A sharp pain in her arm caused her to gasp and the arms around her tightened once again. "Easy now," someone murmured close to her ear. "We're almost finished."

"What's happening?" Her voice sounded dry, and she wished for some water to relieve the parched feeling deep in her throat.

"You have some glass in your arm; nothing serious, but if we didn't take care of it, it would very quickly become infected."

She forced her eyes open, squinting in the harsh bright light. She focused in on a small med-droid hovering next to her, one of its arms holding a pair of delicate tweezers. The sleeve of her coat was bloodied and torn open to reveal several punctures.

"Where's Han?" She pushed away from the man holding her, turning enough to get a glimpse of the red-painted face and wide dark eyes.

"Your husband is still upstairs, I imagine. We have several response teams working their way to everyone affected by this untimely disaster." He cautiously let her go, one hand straying to her shoulder to steady her as the droid pulled out another miniscule piece of glass. "A well-timed Anselmi attack is to blame, I'm afraid," the man continued, staring intently at her. "They've done their job all too well."

Leia shifted underneath his gaze, barely wincing as the droid pulled the last piece of glass and began applying bacta to the wound. Something tinged in her mind, and she narrowed her eyes. "What do you want from me?" Her voice came out in a whisper and she was almost afraid of what he would say.

The Nautolan rocked back on his heels and stood in one fluid motion, his headtails swishing back and forth slightly. "I want nothing from you, Leia Solo."

"How did you…" Her eyes widened. "The papers…where are they?"

His eyes narrowed in confusion, and then briefly flicked to a spot just behind her. "Those?"

Leia stood, pushing the droid away as it squealed in annoyance. She clambered over a large piece of broken plaster and scooped up the first few, all stained with blood and Force knew what else. Clutching them to her chest when they were all safely gathered, she whirled around to stare at the man.

"Stay away from me, from both of us. I don't want to see you again."

He dipped his head toward her and raised a fist to his chest in what she assumed was a salute. Without another word, the strange Nautolan turned and left through the gaping hole which had once been the hotel doors. Leia watched him go, and then turned toward what used to be the hotel lifts, now a mangled mess. Ignoring the continued sputtering and squealing of the droid, she marched past with the papers still tightly clutched to her chest and headed for the stairs.

* * *

It was a good two hours later when Leia was finally able to see her husband again. Injuries were minimal; it seemed most of the damage had been inflicted on the building instead of the inhabitants, although a few unfortunate locals outside weren't so lucky.

The first thing Han did was to give Leia a bone-crushing hug. The second was to demand answers from the rescue team standing nearby, an odd mixture of Nautolans and Mirialans. None of them had anything sufficient to tell him, so his third act was to call Chewie.

"Forget the ship, Chewie!" he yelled at the comlink, and a series of growls and clicks responded. "I just want to know if _you_ are okay."

They were seated outside in a temporary safe zone, protected by a small army of well-armed Nautolans. Leia still had the papers clutched to her chest, and she was keeping a constant look out for the mysterious man she'd encountered twice already. Slater had been right- they all did look the same, although she picked up on a few minor differences in their skin tones. The patterns and colors of paint varied as well, though the initial idea must have been to look as utterly terrifying as possible.

When all was said and done, Han and Leia and everyone else unlucky enough to be inside during the attack were moved to a temporary refugee camp a mile away. It was even more protected than the safe zone, though the idea of having so many well-trained warriors in nothing but war paint and pants running around did little to ease Leia's mind.

"Well, guess this is going to be home, sweet home for a while," Han muttered, tossing the duffel bag of their things he'd scavenged from their destroyed hotel on the narrow cot. The camp was nothing more than a series of airy tents, one per family or in the case of individuals, five per tent. "Chewie says they have all of the travel and shipping lanes closed; no one gets on or off this water-logged rock until the government clears the issue."

"At least we're all together," she said, sitting down on the cot opposite him. Leia laid aside the stack of papers and smiled up at her husband. "It could be a lot worse. They haven't closed down the main communications systems; we can get word to Luke about the situation. Maybe he can pull some strings to get us off earlier."

"Yeah, maybe." Han turned in a circle, one hand ruffling through his hair like he did when he was frustrated. He blew out a long breath and dropped his arm. "Are you okay?"

"All in one piece; and the baby is fine." She rested a hand over her stomach, knowing it was still too early to feel movement. "It was just my arm that got the damage."

He crouched in front of her and took both her hands. "You'd let me know, right?"

"Of course!" Leia laughed, but it sounded weak. The sound of mirth dissolved into quiet sobs, and Han held his wife close while she cried against his shoulder.

"Listen Leia, we're going to be okay." Han tipped her face upward so he could look at her and wiped away a few errant tears from her eyes. "Why don't you rest for a bit? I'm going to see if I can find Chewie. Don't go anywhere."

Han gently picked her up bridal-style and laid her down on the cot, kicking the duffel bag off. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her temple. "I'll be back soon," he whispered, watching her eyes close and her breathing even out.

Stepping back, Han fished the com-link from his pocket and activated it. "Slater, we need to talk."

* * *

_The Anselmi people have long been the enemies of the Nautolans. I see the deep hatred on either side, and yet I cannot bring myself to side with either one. I suppose it is my neutrality that comes from being away from my home world for so long, or maybe it is something else. Both sides are misunderstood by the other. If I had time, perhaps I could talk with their leaders and bring about a peace that would last generations._

* * *

The last rays of the sun had faded away when Han saw his old friend. Slater was sporting one arm in a fresh sling and a few more bruises to his already pale face, but otherwise looked unharmed.

"Han, good to see you. A real shame about what's happened. How's the wife?"

Han glanced around, keeping one hand on his blaster resting comfortably on his hip. "She's well enough. Listen, I don't call you here for small talk, Slater."

The man chuckled a little. "You rarely do, Han."

"My wife doesn't scare easily," Han continued. He'd seen Leia stand in the face of threats to her life, and he knew a simple explosion wouldn't have her shaken up this bad. "Something here has her spooked. I can't leave her for too long right now, but I need to know what's going on."

Slater lazily saluted. "That's what I'm good at, chief."

"Alright, alright… get out of here!" Han shook his head with a smile, watching Slater disappear into the Glee Anselm night.


End file.
